r/UKimgs

The Resident Doctors Conference (RDC) is the annual policy-making conference for resident doctors who are members of the BMA.

Today saw a number of significant developments.

The current Resident Doctors Committee leadership, led by Jack Fletcher, had a vote of censure passed against it. A vote of censure is a formal expression of dissatisfaction by conference delegates.

Support for the censure came from different parts of the profession for different reasons. Many UK graduate delegates cited concerns regarding the handling of industrial action and progress on pay restoration. Many IMG delegates supported the motion because they felt that the current RDC has not adequately represented IMG interests.

Several workforce motions also passed conference and will now proceed for further consideration at the BMA’s Annual Representative Meeting (ARM), including:

• A proposal for a minimum of 2 years’ NHS experience for doctors who entered the NHS before 5 March 2025.
• A proposal for 5 years’ NHS experience before eligibility for specialty training.
• A proposal for guaranteed employment opportunities for UK graduates who do not secure training posts.

The simultaneous passage of both the 2-year and 5-year experience motions has raised questions about implementation. The BMA’s legal advisers are currently examining how these policies could coexist. One possible interpretation discussed by delegates is that transitional arrangements may apply to doctors who entered the NHS before 5 March 2025, while different requirements may apply to those arriving afterwards. However, no final position has yet been confirmed.

The debate throughout the day was highly emotional, and IMG participation was both visible and influential.

Following conference, the planned industrial action was called off.

Further details will emerge as conference outcomes are reviewed and ARM debates these issues in greater detail.

That is a reasonable offer, provided the proposed 4,500 specialty training posts are genuinely additional training posts and not simply existing LED or non-training posts being converted, either partially or in full.

If these 4,500 posts are entirely new, I see little reason to oppose the proposal.

However, if a significant proportion of them are created by converting existing LED posts, this could have serious workforce implications, potentially reducing employment opportunities for many doctors, particularly IMGs who disproportionately rely on non-training roles while pursuing training pathways. Any expansion of training numbers should increase opportunities overall rather than merely redistribute existing posts.

I would advise colleagues to read the offer carefully, consider the details and implications, and vote accordingly. The key question is not simply the headline number of training posts, but whether the proposal genuinely expands opportunities across the workforce.

Greetings,

I have been preparing for MRCP for 2 months. I have passed the post graduate entrance examination in neurology and received some training back home. I have a few questions regarding MRCP.

1. After passing MRCP PACES, as a visa requiring IMG, what are my chances to get training posts in neurology?

2. Can I get advanced training on neurology in the SAS portfolio pathway?

I will do my best to ensure that IMG voices are heard, while also representing UK graduates in a way that is fair, constructive, and does not exclude IMGs.

I believe that doctors are strongest when we work together rather than against one another.

I am always just a click away, and I welcome your thoughts, concerns, suggestions, and feedback at Oelsobky@bma.org.uk.

I look forward to listening, learning, and representing you to the best of my ability.

Hey everyone,

I’m looking for some honest, realistic guidance from those who have been through the grind or are currently navigating the pathways.

The reality of the current global IMG crisis is hitting me hard, and I want to utilize my time during this internship year to focus on a clear roadmap. My absolute primary goal for the future is long-term stability and settling down permanently abroad.

Right now, I am completely torn between starting the AMC (Australia) pathway or prepping for the MRCP (UK) route.

Given how competitive and chaotic things have become recently, I have a few specific questions:

AMC vs. MRCP for pure settlement: If the ultimate goal is PR (Permanent Residency) and a stable life, which country is offering a more predictable future right now? I know the UK has major training bottlenecks, but I've also heard Australia's IMG job market is getting heavily saturated with onshore applicants.

Should I buy resources right now, or just focus on finishing my internship first before booking anything?

I really want to commit to one path and give it my all instead of jumping between different options. Any advice, reality checks, or personal experiences would be highly appreciated.

Thanks in advance, doctors!

Inspired by a recent post.

I am a newly qualified IMG who just passed their PLAB2 with a score of 14/14 stations with the proctors clapping their hands everytime I finish a station, with tears in their eyes saying they haven't seen a talent like me ever since Michael Jackson's Bad Album.

Fast forward to months after, I have applied to every hospital I know. Applying on trac, sending them emails, calling their personal phones, sending ravens and threats but none of it seemed to work. I was languishing in bed like a zombie from Thriller.

I was going down a bad path and wanted to push propofol into my system to end it and be done with it but I had a great idea. What if I went to the hospital and applied.

So I put on my suit, my white socks, and my white glove quickly running towards the nearest hospital. As I arrived I immediately asked the staff where can I find the hospital director and they pointed me towards the top.

I kicked the door open, moonwalked in, leaned 45 degrees and whispered "I'm bad." The CEO immediately cried and asked for forgiveness crying while telling me sorry for ignoring my applications.

He hired me on the spot, gave me his credit card, and promoted me to assitant CEO.

I slapped him with my white glove, did a 720 turn, and moonwalked out the office.

I am currently WFH earning 150,000 a month just using this one simple trick. Hunt down the CEOs mercilessly apply face to face. Good luck out there.

Hi, i started gp training. This is my first nhs job. Ive been finding it difficult to deal with the uncertainity if diagnosis and also on improving clinically. Does anyone have any tips?

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for honest advice from people who understand the current NHS and IMT landscape.

I graduated from medical school in India in 2022 and have been working continuously since then. I passed PLAB in 2023 and obtained GMC registration in December 2024. Since then, I have applied for more than 350 NHS jobs without securing a substantive post.

I built my portfolio specifically with IMT in mind. This year I scored 32/35 on the IMT self-assessment and received an interview rank of 1803. Based on previous years, I believe I would have had a realistic chance of obtaining an IMT post. However, with the current prioritisation of UK graduates and changes in recruitment, I feel increasingly uncertain about whether the pathway remains achievable.

My concern is not only about getting a job but about building a career. Without entering training, it feels difficult to progress, develop specialist expertise, and achieve the professional standards I have worked towards for years.

The reason this matters so much to me is my personal situation.

I come from a financially struggling family. After 12th grade, much of my education was supported through donations and scholarships. My family has significant loans. My mother continues to work extremely hard to keep the family afloat. I have two brothers struggling with alcohol addiction, a sister facing her own difficulties, and two young children in the family who also depend on our support. In many ways, I have become the primary person responsible for the family's finances and future stability.

One of the reasons I pursued the UK pathway was the hope of building a stable career, supporting my mother, clearing debts, and finally having some financial security after years of struggle. I wasn't chasing luxury—just stability, professional growth, and the possibility of a better future.

After years of exams, portfolio building, GMC registration, MRCP preparation, and hundreds of applications, I feel exhausted and uncertain.

For those currently working in the NHS:

• Is it still realistic for an IMG in my position to build a long-term career in the UK?
• Would you continue pursuing NHS jobs if you were in my situation?
• Is obtaining a trust-grade role still a matter of persistence, or has the landscape fundamentally changed?
• Would you focus on alternative pathways such as Indian residency, the Middle East instead?
• How are other IMGs adapting to the current recruitment environment?

I'm not looking for sympathy or reassurance. I would genuinely appreciate honest opinions from people who have experience with the current system.

Any tips?